Netflix

Users are turning their smart TVs into ad‑free, custom‑designed homescreens by harnessing large‑language models and open‑source tools. The Verge reports a surge of social‑media posts showing people strip advertising and tracking code, trim unnecessary packages, and rewrite the launcher that controls the TV’s interface. One example is a user who transformed the home screen into a Pokémon‑themed town, while another employed Claude Code to locate the device on Wi‑Fi, delete 25 Xiaomi‑related packages, and install a new launcher after a pre‑Netflix sponsored ad appeared. The trend demonstrates that consumers can bypass manufacturer‑built ad systems and speed up the operating system. TV makers are urged to respond, as the ability to remove ads and reconfigure the interface challenges their current business model and raises privacy concerns.

Tesla’s Optimus robot is reportedly in production, yet the company cautions it is not yet ready for full deployment. Tesla also plans to allow customers to add their own vehicles to a robotaxi fleet next year, though the feasibility remains unclear. Meta announced a new class of shares to fund its AI initiatives, noting that a $22 billion child‑safety settlement has already cut into potential earnings. Tesla’s Q3 revenue remained flat, and the company is in talks with SpaceX about a possible merger. Elon Musk said SpaceX will attempt to catch its Starship booster for the first time, while the company credits a surge in AI‑driven revenue for its recent growth. Netflix, meanwhile, reassured investors despite declining viewership.

Apple has added a new badge to the App Store that signals whether an app is optimized for its upcoming foldable iPhone Duo. The “Made for iPhone Duo” label will appear on apps and games that use the device’s dual‑screen layout. Apple illustrated how the badge could help users identify apps that take advantage of the extra screen real estate. For instance, Netflix will show full‑screen content on the inner display while simultaneously offering a feed of short clips on the outer screen. Amazon Prime Video is also set to support the Duo, allowing users to watch shows and movies with the device’s dual screens, though the article stops short of detailing the exact arrangement. The badge aims to guide consumers toward experiences that fully exploit the new hardware.

Netflix has emphasized the importance of improving monetization in its third-quarter earnings report. The company aims to boost entertainment value and leverage new technology to create member value. This will allow Netflix to occasionally raise prices and increase advertiser demand. To achieve this, Netflix plans to focus on original titles, live events, and third-party programming. The streaming giant does not provide specific details on its monetization strategy. However, it notes that these goals will help the company create value for its members and increase revenue. Netflix's shift in focus comes as the company reports falling viewing time, but the company is reassuring investors that it is taking steps to address the issue.

Paramount Pictures has announced plans to turn CD Projekt Red’s hit video game Cyberpunk 2077 into a live‑action movie. The project, reported by Deadline, will bring producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura—known for the Transformers series—to the production team. While the release date remains unconfirmed, the film follows the game’s commercial success, which has surpassed 40 million copies sold, and its broader franchise reach, including a popular Netflix anime adaptation. The move signals a continued trend of high‑profile video‑game properties transitioning to mainstream cinema.

The Verge reports a new GTA VI leak that includes a 25‑minute gameplay video. The clip shows the character Jason running around Vice City completely unclothed, even on a motorbike and at a beach. The leaker, Cyberleek, who earlier cashed out on a memecoin and then disappeared, has returned with this footage. The video is almost as long as Rockstar’s official “extended look” on Netflix and suggests that players may be able to play the game with characters without clothing. This leak continues a series of GTA VI disclosures that raise questions about the game’s content and Rockstar’s intellectual‑property safeguards.

Skydance announced that it has completed its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, ending a months‑long saga that began when Netflix had announced plans to buy WBD before scrapping those plans in February. In a statement today, Skydance said that all of the direct‑to‑consumer streaming services it owns—including HBO Max, Paramount+, and Discovery+—will unify into a single service over time. The merger created Skydance as a new company that now controls the combined content libraries of Warner Bros. , Discovery, and Paramount. The company did not yet outline a timetable for the consolidation, but the announcement signals a major shift in the competitive landscape of streaming platforms.

Paramount has finalized its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, forming a new entity called Skydance. The deal brings Paramount’s film studios together with WBD’s portfolio, including HBO, CBS News, and CNN, under one corporate umbrella. The merger followed a months‑long battle with Netflix over WBD and a rocky regulatory path. Paramount secured an agreement in February and has since faced criticism from lawmakers and Hollywood talent about the negative effects of media consolidation. The company cleared its last major hurdle last month by settling with 12 states, allowing the merger to close.

Netflix’s upcoming “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew,” directed by Greta Gerwig, has drawn criticism after the studio announced Meryl Streep will voice the Christ‑like lion Aslan. Some Christian fans and media figures argue that a female voice alters the theological symbolism of Aslan, a character modeled on Jesus Christ in C. S. Lewis’s 1955 novel. An online petition on Change. org calls for Netflix to replace Gerwig for future Narnia films. Dr. Ted Baehr, former president of the Episcopal Radio‑TV Foundation, said the change could alienate a large Christian audience. Gerwig, a Unitarian Universalist, defended her choice, describing Streep as a “profound but not pretentious” actor who could convey depth, pathos, joy and delight. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between faith‑based expectations and Hollywood casting decisions.

Netflix has ended multiyear deals with directors like David Fincher and Shawn Levy, signaling a pivot away from prestige content. This comes amid industry consolidation, with Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery poised for a megamerger that could reshape the entertainment landscape. Netflix is reassessing its strategy to attract subscribers in a crowded market, though the exact new focus remains unclear. The move may reflect a shift toward more cost‑efficient or original programming, but the company has not detailed its next steps.

At Bloomberg’s annual Screentime summit, Netflix co‑CEO Ted Sarandos applauded President Donald Trump for championing a federal tax‑credit bill designed to keep film and television productions in the United States. Sarandos said Trump “really cares about the entertainment business” and is committed to protecting the industry and creating jobs. The proposed legislation, introduced last week, has bipartisan backing from Senators Tim Scott and Adam Schiff and seeks to counter the lure of overseas tax incentives that have drawn Hollywood projects to the UK, Australia and Canada. Sarandos warned that the bill’s fate could hinge on the upcoming midterms and a potential shift in congressional control. He also criticized California’s Democratic leadership for allowing jobs to leave the state, citing aging infrastructure and difficult shooting conditions. Netflix’s recent productions—David Fincher’s “Animals,” “Cliff Booth,” and the new season of “Nobody Wants This”—spent over $400 million in Los Angeles without the best incentives.

The series 'What/If' on Netflix delves into the lives of a young married couple, Lisa and Sean Donovan, who are offered a deal by a mysterious woman, Anne Montgomery. In exchange for funding for Lisa's medical startup, Anne demands to spend one night with Sean, with the condition that Lisa can never ask him about it. As the story unfolds, secrets are revealed, relationships are tested, and Anne's influence becomes more ominous. The show features a talented cast, including Renée Zellweger, who showcases a new side of herself in the role of Anne Montgomery.